Machine for molding fence-posts.



` PATENTED DEG. 25,1906.

' M. c'. MUNN,.

MACHINE PoR MOLDING FENCE POSTS.

vUNITED STATES PATENT oEEIcE.

MARSHALL c.

MUNN, oE LEE, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoE or ONE-HALE To A.l f

RUDOLPH YOUNGGEEN, oF LEE, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR IVIOLDING FENCE-POSTS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1906.

Y Application tiled October 3, 1906- Serial No, 337,194

' binations of parts and devices hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part .of this specification,and in which like numerals oi reference indicate like parts, I show latFigure 1 an end elevation oi a machine containin my inventiongat Fig. 2,a side elevation o the same; at Fig. 3, ay vertical cross-section of themachine, taken on the line 3 3 at Fig. 2; at Fig. 4, a verticallongitudinal section of the machine, taken on the line 4'4 in Fig. 1; atFigs. 5 and 6, detached'perspective views of the upper and lower slidingand fence-post supporting endclosing pieces; at Figs. 7 and 8,respectively, the lower and the upper halves ofthe axiallymovable moldend, and at Fig. 9 a central vertical section taken on the line 9 9 loiFig. 8.

In said drawings, 21 is thel semicylindric lower half, and 22 thesemicylindric upper half, of the mold. The lower half is shown as madeintegral with the base of the {ramework of the machine and as beingstationary,

while the upper half is shown as being movable up and down or toward andaway from the said lower half. This movement is for the purpose ofshaping and compressing in a direction at right angles to the mold theconcrete orplastic illing of the mold placed in and heaped upon the saidlower half of the mold. To retain Such plastic material in place andalso to afford a guideway for said movable half, the Jfour-sided box isprovided, consisting of the two vertical sides 23 24 and the twovertical ends 25 26. One of these ends, 25, is or may be rigidly xed tothe side pieces 23 24. The other is Shown as being movable toward andawayfrom the'mold in an axial direction, this being for the purpose offorniing and compressing the upper end of the molded artificial-stonebase.` rights27 27 27 27 are provided and extend4 upward fromthe base toa The .usual upoint above the upper halt1 of the mold, an they carry theeccentric levers 2,8v 28, by means of which the operator may press theupper half of the mold down uponthe lower half with great force to shapethe plastic concreteinto cylindric form. -A similar eccentric lever 29is connected by rods 30 to the movable end 31,l

this being for forcing said movable end against the concrete inthe moldto shape the same.

The part of the movable end 31, which comes into immediate contact withvthe concrete isshown at 32 and is preferably given the form of atruncated cone, so that the upper end of the artificial-stone base shallhave thisform when molded. Extending vertically from the outer surfaceof the movable end plate 31 are two strengthening-bars 33,

E rigidly connected to said plate 3 1 and' extendmg up to bear againstthe end piece'26 of the upper half of the mold ,-which end piece 26 isalso made movable and carries its half 34 of the conical-end-forming'portion. Formed in the movable ends 26 and 31 are guideways 310 for thetwo vertically-sliding blocks 35 3 6, the Jformer being the lowermostand the latter being the uppermost; These two blocks are shown inperspective at Figs. 5 and 6, and when they are fitted in place in theend pieces 26 and 31 they come -together and leave an aperture 37 of theshape of the metallic fence-post in cross-section.

The metallic fence-post .is shown in the drawings at 38, and it is inthe present instance of a` Y Jform in cross section.

39 39 40 40 are guided-pins extending from the vertical sides 23 24 andthe base 21 and into holes in the movable end pieces 26 3l.

41 is a'lever pivoted to the base of the machine at 42 and to thesliding piece 35 at 43, and the free end of this lever is brought intofrictional contact with a downwardly-depending spring 44, which exertssufficient holding power to sustain the weight of the Sliding blocks 3536 and the weight of the metallic fence-post, but which does not exertsui'hcient Jforce to prevent the fence-post from moving up and down inthe mold when a superior force is brought to bear upon it. The purposeof having the support of the fencepost in the mold thus made movable upand IOO down is in order that when the pressure of the mold is broughtto bear upon the concrete inclosing said fence-post that no bendingstrain may come to said post. In the machines as heretofore constructedgreat difficulty was encountered because of this tendency for thefence-post to bend in the mold. As formerly made, the fence-post supportin the end of the mold was rigid and unyielding in its relation to thelower part of the mold, and when the concrete was applied to fill themold andsurround the post it very often happened that the end of thepost in the concrete would be supported more iirmly than tallicfence-posts having a stationary halfthe intervening parts of said post,and the remold and a movable half-mold, and means sult of applying thepowerful molding presl for forcing the movable half-mold on the sure tothe concrete above and around said plastic material, and having at oneend ofthe post under such circumstances was to bend mold a movablesupport for the metallic the post in the concrete, and when theconfence-post capable of yielding to prevent;

bending strains in said post due to the compression, said 'movablesupport being fricthe metallic post sprung it back into a tionallysupported, substantially as specified. straight line, and this wouldsplit the con- 4. The machine for molding bases onmecrete base. By thesimple expedient of tallic fence-posts having a stationary halfmalingthe supporting end of the mold that mold and a movable half-mold, andmeans carries the fence-post thus movable up and for forcing the movablehalf-mold on the bending strains in said post due to the compression,substantially as specified.

2. The machine for molding bases on metallic fence-posts having astationary halfmold and movable halfmold., and means for forcing themovable half-mold on the plastic material and having the end whichsupports the metallic fence-post made movable toward and away from theconcrete, inV order to shape and compress the upper end. of theartificial-stone fence-post base, substantially as speciiied.

3. The machine for molding bases on. me-

diificulty in the iachine, and by making the mold a movable support forthe metallic down I have entirely overcome this serious l plasticmaterial, and havingr at one end of the 26 are two catches or hooks 46for engaging i tallic fence-posts having a stationary halfend whichcarries the movable parts also movable endwise of the mold I am enabledto give to the upper part of the molded base a smooth even 4surface anda desirable conicalshape which is adapted to improve the weatheringqualities of the post-base. On the up- 5. The machine for molding baseson meperend of the lowersliding part 35 are formed tallic fence-postshaving a stationary halflugs 45, and pivotedto the movable end plate lmold and a movable half-mold, and means for forcing the movablehalf-mold on the plastic material and having the end which supports themetallic fence-post made movhooks or-catches into or out-of engagementable toward and away from the concrete in by swinging the lever on itsfulcrum 48. order to shape and compress the upper end of claim`.` I thearticial-stone fence-post base and hav- 1. The machine for molding baseson mey ing means for forcing said movable end on the plastic material inthe mold substantially mold and a movable half-mold, and means asspecified. for forcing the movable half-mold on the MARSHALL C. MUNN,plastic material, and having at one end of the mold a movable supportfor the metallic l fence-post capable of yielding to prevent 1fence-post capable of yielding to prevent bending strains in said postdue to the compression, said movable support being vfrictionallysupported. by means of a lever and a friction-spring, substantially asspecilied.

the lugs 45 for sustaining the said sliding piece 35.

A handle 47 serves to move the Witnesses:

PEARL ABRAMs, H. M. MUNDAY.

